Building a Robotic Window Opener to Help People with Mobility Impairments Live More Independently.

This project develops and tests Glasscalibur, a robotic window opening device that gives people with mobility disabilities the ability to open their home windows. People with mobility disabilities may have difficulty standing, walking, climbing stairs, or using their arms and hands, which may limit their independence at home, including the ability to open and close windows for ventilation or safety. The goal of this Phase I project is to complete three engineering objectives ahead of manufacturing Glasscalibur in small quantities. Specific objectives are to: upgrade electronics with new sensors to ensure the device is always safe to operate and reliably detects stalls; conduct reliability tests to confirm that design choices result in a device that will operate for seven years without failure; and conduct safety tests to guarantee the window opener automatically stops and notifies the operator should a human, pet, or object get in the way of closing.